4 fitness hacks for holiday season

It’s holiday time for many of us, but it can be hard to stay on track when you’re away. What do you need? Some easy fitness hacks of course!

So you’re off on your jollies. Good for you and God dammit you deserve it. You’ve been slaving away for the man for too long and a two weeks holiday is just what you need. A good mix of letting your hair down and recharging the batteries.

But there is just one problem, you’re starting to freak out. What about all the hard work you’ve put in to get your holiday bod? Are you going to undo all your hard work?

First things first, as a society what we really need to address here is our obsession with body image. It’s taking over our lives. Filters are the new Photoshop. We’re constantly judging ourselves against other people who post only perfect pictures of themselves on Instagram.

So, how can we avoid these pressures and get on with the all important job of enjoying our holiday? By following a few simple health hacks.

The social hack

Next time you open Instagram and see all the pretty people remember that it’s not the whole story. Remember that for the fleeting second you spent scrollingthey spent half a day deliberating over which filter, pose, lighting etc would get them more likes. If your feed makes you feel bad delete people and start believing in yourself.

And, if yuo’e ooking for some real fitspiration try following JamesSmithPT. This guy is not PC but love him or hate him he’ll put your fitness journey in perspective.

Alternatively, put the phone down,

The head hack

Your holiday is you time. So set some holiday goals. Maybe you want to see the sights. Maybe you want to sample the local food. Or maybe you want a sample the locals. Whatever your holiday goal write it down and do it or him or her.

Remind yourself of your holiday goal and remember, it’s not the same as your fitness goals.

The food hack

Skip a meal. You’re not going to die. You’ve probably drank your body weight in calories the night before, so why not skip breakfast, hydrate and sweat out the hangover in the sunshine?

The fitness hack

If you are going to work out, then you need a plan. So, select five different exercises from the chart below.

You need to select one from each. You’re going to do each exercise for 45 seconds with a 15 second break.

Remember:

For a 15 minute workout repeat 3 times

If you want a 20 minute workout repeat 4 times

For a 25 minute workout repeat 5 times

Any more than that and you are no longer on your holidays.

Upper Body

Push Ups

Tricep Dips ( in a chair/well )

Down Dog with Shoulder Taps

Back Extensions

Pull Ups

Bridges

Bear Crawls

Crab Walks

Lower Body

Squats

Squat Jumps

Lunges

Squat Pulses

Squat Holds

Glute Raises

Core

Plank Walks

Crunches

Plank Shoulder Taps

Plank Side Steps

Side Plank

Plank Rotations

Sit Ups

Flutters

Cross Overs

Leg Raises

Cardio

Sprints

Burpees

Dynamic Lunges

Mountain Climbers

Grasshoppers

High Knees

If you are looking for a quick fix, check out my 6 week body transformation at 3XB. The next 6 week program kicks off in July but fret not you can try before you buy. A trial at 3XB Training is only €10 for a week and you get to pick from 21 outdoor HIIT classes. You’ll also get a 7 day meal plan, a FREE 6 week transformation guide to do at home, access to the private Facebook group and access to my nutrition hacks. You can check out the detail of the trial here

Ronan Mahon founded Bondi Beach Bodies in January 2018 giving up a life in corporate sales to help people get the best beach bodies possible. For more information visit bondibeachbodies.ie